Great-billed seed finch

The great-billed seed finch is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist shrubland, swamps, and heavily degraded former forest. They are found in two separate general populations, one in the northern Amazon rainforest and the other in the Cerrado. They live in flooded areas with nests low to the ground. The adults express strong sexual dimorphism. Males are black with white under wing-coverts and ivory white bills, and the females are generally light brown with white under wing-coverts and black bills. Both the male and female have very large, thick bills. The great-billed seed finch has a melodious call, which has made it a target for trapping.

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Distribution

Region

Amazon Basin and Brazilian Cerrado

Typical Environment

Found in seasonally flooded savannas, marshes, river edges, and moist shrublands. It favors wet grasslands with tall seed-bearing grasses and sedges, as well as degraded forest margins near water. Nests are typically placed low in dense vegetation over or near water. The species has a disjunct distribution, with one population in the northern Amazon and another centered in the Cerrado of central Brazil.

Altitude Range

0-1200 m

Climate Zone

Tropical

Characteristics

Size12-14 cm

Wing Span18-22 cm

Male Weight0.018 kg

Female Weight0.016 kg

Life Expectancy7 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 1/5

Useful to know

This species is highly prized in the songbird trade for its rich, melodious song, which has led to severe trapping pressure. It occurs in two disjunct populations: one in the northern Amazon Basin and another in the Brazilian Cerrado, mainly around wetlands. Males have an unmistakable massive ivory bill and glossy black plumage, while females are warm brown with a very thick dark bill. It can be confused with the Large-billed Seed-Finch (Sporophila crassirostris), but the great-billed has an even stouter bill and different range.

Gallery

great-billed seed finch skull

Behaviour

Temperament

secretive and wary

Flight Pattern

short rapid wingbeats, usually low over vegetation

Social Behavior

Often seen singly or in pairs during the breeding season, with males holding small territories near wetlands. Outside breeding, small loose groups may form at good seeding patches. Nests are built low in thick grasses or shrubs above water, and both parents attend the young.

Migratory Pattern

Resident

Song Description

A rich, melodious series of clear whistles and slurred notes, often repeated in distinctive phrases. The song carries well over marsh vegetation and is delivered frequently from exposed perches during breeding.

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Identification

Comb Type

Plumage Description

Feather Color

Leg Color

Earlobe Color

Eye Color

Feeding Habits

Diet

Preferred Environment

Requires Supplement

Population

Conservation Status

Species Status

Wild Population

Total Known Population

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